


A Wizards Tale

by everstar81



Category: Blizzard Entertainment, Diablo III, Reaper of Souls - Fandom, Video Games - Fandom, Wizard- Male
Genre: Adventure, D3, Diablo 3, Magic, RPG, Reaper of Souls, Video Game, Wizard
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-02
Updated: 2014-06-10
Packaged: 2018-02-03 02:25:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1727678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/everstar81/pseuds/everstar81





	1. Chapter 1

The pages before him seemed to melt and run from his sight. Through everything, studying the arcane had been his solace; the years and trials, especially of late, the magic that flowed co-mingled in his blood had been his escape and his foundation. It was WHO he was: the trouble maker…the cast out…the wizard...the hero…the savior. 

But in this rare moment of peace, his soul refused to be still or his mind at ease. Perhaps Lyndon and the Mystic were right; maybe he did need to rest…  
Sighing, the wizard shut his spell book, rising wearily. 

For a moment he contemplated his cot with its rich furs and silks. He had once as a urchin curled up in the damp cold of poverty dreamed of thick luxurious furs like these. Now these same furs were gifts of grateful kings and merchants, along with silks thrown at his feet in a rainbow of colors so he may chose the hue of his liking. With a pang of sadness that he pushed far down into his core, he turned and slipped out of his warm cozy tent and into the biting chill of the night. 

The camp site was still, stiller than his protection spell would have created. This was the stillness of wariness and bodily ache. They had all gone through so much in so short a span, gone through it all together at that.  
“Family.” The Mystic had called them. 

By the fire of the fading winter evening, the mystic spun stories as Eirena blushed and Lyndon laughed, sitting a distance off, Kormac fondly watched the Enchantress. Shen stood proudly over the fire spit turning the glazed boar Kormac and Lyndon had captured and slain that morning. From his wagon, Headrig emerged with a sour look and stomped his way over to the old jeweler, releasing a huff of cold air from his nostrils as he did. The wizard wondered if Shen had once again borrowed the blacksmiths tools without asking or if the old man’s sly tongue had finally gotten the best of his burly friend. He imagined that the blacksmith could break the scrawny Shen with his bare hands. Headrig merely presented the jeweler with a linen wrapped package and stood arms crossed as the older man eagerly undid it. With a cry of delight, Shen raised an elongated fork and carving knife to the fading watery sun. This made a quick grin flash over the blacksmiths hard set features before he nodded to Shen’s stammer of joy. 

“Family.” The wizard breathed. 

“A very odd and sorted one, but yes; a family none the less.” Lyndon murmured near the wizard’s ear. 

The wizard checked his surprise and mentally noted to count the gems in his robe pockets at the next opportunity and merely turned his eyes to the Scoundrel. “I remember so little of my own, it still feels…unfamiliar to me.” 

“Well friend,” Lyndon sighed watching the group with his steely grey eyes, “those even in the closest of families can still find themselves feeling out of sorts. Family is a bound not of blood but of spirit…or some such nonsense the buxom mystic is forever prattling on about. Frankly, I usually only catch the first few words before her breast capture my full attention.”

“You’re disgusting Lyndon.” The wizard snorted.

“Am I?” the Scoundrel chuckled. “Some would say a grown man who has never known a woman by choice is unnatural.” Dropping his voice Lyndon continued, “Though I do know a few young and lovely fellows near the Kingsport docks if you wish me to introduce them…”

“Enough with your constant wonder at my virtue Lyndon.” The wizard laughed. “Magic is my sole mistress. I am above the mortal craving of flesh…”

“Is it because you’re Nephalem, then? Like how you need little sleep or food? Or will you one day go on some lustful binge of wine and women and men? I once saw a Barbarian do just that, there are several goats in New Heaven I’m sure will never be the same again…”

With that the wizard simply took his leave of the Scoundrel and plopped down on the log beside Kormac. 

The remainder of the evening went well, the Enchantress told stories of times long forgotten and Myriam a coaxed a magical musical concert out of the Wizard that lead to her and Shen waltzing around the camp fire. After she wistfully sighed a million times as watched them dance about, the Wizard and Scoundrel both convinced Kormac into asking Eirena to dance. 

Late in the hour, the rogue and Myriam had disappeared into her cart and Shen had again fallen asleep with the bottle of wine they were meant to share. Dutifully, Kormac knelt on his bedroll repeating his prayers while the enchantress gazed into the dying embers of the fire, her bright purple eyes heavy with sleep. 

The wizard silently made his way towards his tent. He took a moment and paused at the opening to take in the sleepy camp and its people, soon there would be something, some battle, some calling to rush to and they would be off in a blur of movement and activity. They would once again face foes both monstrous and dire, they would bleed and hurt, but they would answer the call none the less for that was what this rag tag family did, and willingly. 

Perhaps now he could study, the wizard thought stooping his tall, wiry frame to enter his tent. In the span of a breath, there came a great booming sound followed a moment later by a flash of green light that filled the dark winter sky before blinking out behind the horizon of mountains to the west. With the quick appearance of light came a sudden wind that sucked the breath from all living things for a frantic moment.

Breathing again, the wizard felt his protection spell waver if only for a moment, but life it self trembled to his senses, prickling the hair on his neck. 

“By all that is holy!” Kormac swore rushing to the wizard. 

Shen sat wide eyed and silent, the enchantress clutched at Kormac’s arm and in the carts far off, the blacksmiths roar of snores had ceased. Hopping on one foot as he hurried to pull on his other boot Lyndon, half naked nearly stumbled out of Myriam’s cart. 

“Not again.” The wizard sighed. 

 

 

“Is he alright? He’s alright, isn’t he? I mean, he’s been aloof but then the Wizards always been aloof. He’s alright, right?” 

Kormac took a deep breath, whispering his vows over and over as the old man prattled on. 

In all honesty, he wasn’t as sure. He had been the day before when they set out to follow this newly fallen object. But the Wizards presence grew more silent than the usual and his demeanor far.

When there was a question or concern about the Wizard, they came to him. True the Templar was emotionally clueless when it came to his own being, but perhaps it was his long companionship with the Wizard that brought him a small degree of clarity to the arcane users’ state. He alone knew when the Wizard was truly injured or needed sleep or food, when he was earnestly reading his spell book while he walked or merely wanted to appear he was so they wouldn’t bother him; like now. 

Shen finally talked himself out and fell back to meet the mystic’s cart. Of the group they alone could out talk each other and everyone, even the Templars beloved Eirena, was thankful to the gods for that. 

Clearing his throat, Kormac nervously glanced back over his shoulder at the Wizard. As was practice, they led the party on foot, Kormac a few steps ahead while the Wizard was nose deep in his spell book. But the Wizards greenish brown eyes were unmoving and his thin lips still, he was far off in his thoughts and by instinct or habit followed the Templar in steps. 

The all so common look of determination on the spell casters sharp but young features was gone. In its stead were lines of pain and shadows of questions in his keen eyes. 

The silence of camp that night was unsettling. They set camp, they assigned the watches, they ate and all was fine but for the quiet glances and watchful eyes following the Wizards moves. If he knew of this attention, he didn’t give the slightest hint. The down turn corners of his thin lips were like the mood of the family. Vacant eyes murmured thank you’s as the Templar rested a plate piled with food in his long, thin hands. 

“He is alright, isn’t he?” Shen asked in a loud whisper that the Mystic hushed unanswered.

 

Ever since they met Myriam in Westmarch, Kormac had been unsettled by the mystic. Friendly, kind, and bold; he had no reason not to feel at ease with her. Of all the followers in the camp, she like him; had some uncanny insight into the Wizard and this brought solace to the Templar. And while her many and outlandish stories were at times scandalous and crude, he knew her heart was of pure light. Yet it was her eyes. Emerald and brilliant even at her age; they saw more than they should. Though she said very little about it, the Templar knew that she knew the struggle within his soul, and the questions which fluttered madly in his heart when he gazed upon Eirena’s almond shaped purple eyes. 

Now, the Mystic sat uncharacteristically silent her infamous eyes lost in the dying glow of the evenings fire. She never took watch as Kormac felt it was his, the blacksmiths and Lyndon’s duty to protect the camp and had not asked her. Tonight, she had sat up with him when the others had turned in to their bedrolls. Now it was little more than an hour until Haedrig was to take his watch making the Templar eye her again. At once, she looked worn and older. He wondered what sat so heavily upon her and opened his mouth to speak when it began. 

A muffled sound, like a halfhearted argument came from the Wizards tent, before he could move, it grew into shouting and magic erupted from within.


	2. Chapter 2

She hummed. 

The tune he could never place or fully recall, but it haunted him just the same, as her memory had all these years. The warmth of his mother’s eyes shined down on him as he sat on her lap, her long dirty fingers brushed his dark hair from his face, tenderly touching his cheek and he smiled. Mama smiled back at him, humming. 

Sometimes he recalled other little feet running about, other small voices calling for her attention. Other times, the thin but dark shadow of a man he figured to be his father cut between them. Either way he remembered, Mama held him close and her eyes grew sad. “It is your destiny, my special little one,” she would say in their native Xianesse, her voice as young as her face and just as gentle. “You will be great, greater than any before you! Prophecy will guide you and keep you. When you are great and the leader of this world, we will be united.”

That is when the memory of the thin dark man was strongest. It was his hand that took Ryuu arm and pulled him from Mama’s embrace. 

“All those tears you’ve cried since he was declared and one would think you would have used some to clean the sot from his face!” he snapped using a filthy rag roughly against the child’s nose and cheek. Always impotent, the child twisted and hissed in the man’s grasp, thin bare arms reaching for his Mama, fingers plucking desperately inches away from her skirt. 

“Give me just another minute.” She pleaded hurrying close and touching the child’s brow.

“You’ve had enough. Listen, they are here! Child be still and quiet! Now! I command it!” Yanking the boy from her reach, the dark man shook him. “Prophecy or not you will obey them, you understand?!”

But the boy wasn’t listening. Wrenching his small arm, he broke free of the man’s hold and buried himself in his mother’s tattered and faded skirt, clinging to her legs as the flap to the tiny hut suddenly opened and shadows on the edges of his dream swarmed in. 

“You must be brave and strong, my special one.” Mama said kneeling and hugging him close. He felt the heaviness of her tears fall in his inky hair. “You will be great someday! You will not know need or want. You will bring the might of your magic to free people, like me.” 

‘My magic?’ the boy thought… ‘My magic!’ the man said summoning the arcane force of his will to his fingertips. But try as he might, with his ever increasing strength and library of spells, the dark man and the shadows still managed to pry him from Mama. 

The child, the man, the hero and savior of Sanctuary, the Wizard who defeated Diablo and Death was helpless to stop himself from being torn from his mother’s arms by the shadows of his dreams…

 

Caught in a waking dream, the Wizard was deaf to his friends, his open unseeing hazel eyes were like those of a cornered deer, Kormac thought. He had tried to rouse the Wizard by shaking him when they entered the tent, but in a move that would have twisted his own arm from its socket had not the Templar’s grasp had not been gentle, the Wizard had escaped and ran to the center of the tent. Kormac’s next attempt at getting a hold of the Wizard had resulted in a wave of arcane force hurling both he and the Mystic back and nearly out of the tent. 

Even when the blacksmith, Templar and Lyndon together tried to tackle the Wizard, his magic kept them either frozen to the spot or dodging arcane blades that slashed a whispers breath from their throats. 

“What are we going to do? We can’t wait for him to tire out, that’d be weeks!” Lyndon yelped ducking a Hydras licking flame behind the Wizards over turned desk.

“We must summon Tyrael!” the Templar replied himself feeling rather helpless before the raging spell caster. He had fought the likes of Reapers and Ghouls along side the Wizard and had never fluttered a lash but to witness the unbound might of the Wizard, unchecked by the great man’s logic and kindness was terrifying. 

“If only I could get him clearly with my hammer!” Haedrig spat, “One good knock to the head would level any man- great wizard or not!”

As Lyndon nervously laughed at the idea and Kormac opened his mouth to voice a resounding NO, a soft shadow appeared in the light of the wizard’s arcane storm. With a clear and steady voice, the Enchantress summoned her own magic and suddenly, where there once stood a formidable Wizard now clucked an anxious chicken. 

The three men stared wide eyed at each other for a moment, bewildered by the silence and the bravery, then without a word; they leaped at the chicken sending feathers and curses flying. 

 

 

 

When it was operating, there was one overwhelming question on the Battle.Net forums... “Where is the Nephalem?” 

Second to that were debates over who the Nephalem would be. In a on going poll, the female demon hunter and the male Crusader were leading almost neck in neck as to who were most likely to be the hero. Given the state if the world, the poll was being covered by most of the leading media networks and even more debated upon.

“Still no love for my poor Ryuu.” Elle sighed glancing at the drawing of her Wizard. His hazel eyes smiled over the glowing screen of her laptop, just as he had during all her adventures in game. 

But now, the game wasn’t just a game.

Almost two weeks before, the sky had split open, like someone had snagged their panty hose. All across Earth, a deafening boom shook people from their sleep or out of the their routines. A faint green glow then began to spread across the sky in the western hemisphere and it grew and it grew. 

At first, the media caught the story that some nameless oil company had blown another rig, then the story that it was nuclear testing, then the far left came out saying it was more secret testing being done by a central government, then the right wing came out and stated everyone was going to hell because of unmoral living. As it turned out, the right wing was half way right! 

A few hours after The Rift began came the first wave of undead. Not just the typical zombie undead everyone expected. These were armor clad skeletal warriors who had a mocking insane laugh. Followed by the Bloats and the Imps. 

“Imps?” 

“Yeah those toddler sized things running around like a crack baby at Wal-Mart.” Elle had told her roommate, Heather, as they sat watching the news coverage of downtown San Francisco. 

“So you’re telling me that this is in your game?” 

“Not my game,” Elle laughed. “I expect Blizzard has some questions to answer about now.”

As she opened her mouth to retort, the roommate was silenced by breaking news.

“We have just been informed by a White House correspondent that the Secretary of State will be on the air in a few moments. There have been a major development in the origin of The Rift...” touching their ear piece the broadcaster nodded, “And now we go to the White House...”

After a few moments, the official came to the interesting part. 

“It has been concluded that these invaders are from a internationally popular gaming franchise named Diablo 3 by Blizzard Entertainment. The company is based in the West coast as is The Rift. We have been in contact with Blizzard and they have been helpful and forthcoming. A group of representatives from Blizzard are being flown to DC as we speak to confer on a defense and offense strategy for handling The Rift and the Creatures it is unleashing on Earth.”

“Ok, now what?” the roommate said turning back to Elle. 

Beaming, Elle replied “The Nephalem! He'll save us just like he did Sanctuary.”

 

Closed the lip of her laptop Elle rested her head on it. Where was the Nephalem? She thought sadly. 

Neither demon hunter or witch doctor had come forward out of The Rift though Tyrael had been seen. As much as she wanted to finally see her hero in action, Elle was growing tired of the outbreaks of Creatures that made it through the barricades and check points, even worse; they were growing bolder. They were organizing but under who or what no one knew. 

 

Elle didn't realize she was asleep until she was snapped awake by her apartment suddenly shaking and the glare of lights coming through her bedroom window. Hissing, her tux cat darted under her desk as she straightened and squinted her eyes to peer out the window. She could see almost nothing from the intense white light that poured into her room casting her shadow in sharp relief on the wall opposite. Her ears told her that a military grade helicopter was very close by, uncomfortably close by at that. It shook the apartment complex and she longed to hide under her desk with her cat, but other sounds, of trampling feet in the courtyard and the dog who began to frantically bark drew her away from the window and towards her bedroom door. 

She had her hand on her bedroom doorknob when a echoing knock came from the outer door of her apartment. 

Out in the hallway between the bedrooms, Elle met her roommate. Wide eyed, Heather said nothing but looked at her hopelessly. Leaving her without a word, Elle quickly made her way through the hallway, across the living room and to the now silent door. With a sense of foreboding, she opened the door. 

 

 

“You lost my Wizard?”

“Not as much as lost as...misplaced!” a Blizzard representative chirruped as he looked up from her laptop. 

With a groan, Elle sat heavily on her living room couch beside the Angel of Wisdom. 

Tyrael, himself, looked at a loss. Not only was he now mortal, but he now found himself in a altogether different mortal plane. One more confusing then his own by leaps and bounds. He and Lorath, his Horadrim follower and aid had arrived on Earth to help fight the invasion of Creatures. They alone had been able to come to this new bizarre world as the Templar, having snapped out of his grief, was now leading the charge against the Creatures poised to enter The Rift in their world. 

It all seemed sadly for not without the Nephalem. For every inch they gained it seemed the Creatures were taking back a mile. As they invaded Earth, the Creatures were also once again terrorizing Sanctuary. 

More embolden by the Nephalems absence, the clans and cults he had conquered were now reforming and this time smarter. 

“Have you tried rebooting the servers?” Elle asked suddenly. “Unplug them and wait a few minutes then plug them back in?”

Looking up from her laptop, the Blizzard IT representative, Dave, nodded. “Yeah, but the generators kicked in for once, and when we tried again, who ever is behind this sent a horde of Creatures to the server site...”

“And the European, Asian, and South American servers.” Another Blizzard representative added. 

“We offered to blow them up, but Blizzard declined.” said a UN Marine sourly.

“Yeah, I'd have to agree with them on that one.” Elle frowned. “It's enough to 'misplace' my Wizard, you blow him up and I might be a bit grouchy.”

The Marine rolled his eyes and looked away. 

“So... let me get this right...this Nephalem,” Heather began with a cigarette in dangling from her mouth. 

“Ryuu.” Elle and Lorath added. 

Lighting her cigarette, Heather continued, “Whatever, he's alive but not alive, like undead?”

“He's in a catatonic state. We've had a team of the best doctors from all corners of the...of Earth see him.” Dave said quietly. 

At this, Elle perked up, “He's here? On Earth?” she said. 

“Yes, we brought him to this Stands Ford. Your Earth healing is very strange. They took his blood and other body fluids. I am relieved we did not allow Kormac to accompany us as he wished. The Templar would have fallen on his sword before allowing such a thing to happen to his friend.” said Tyrael, as he spoke, Elle disappeared into her room and reemerged with a bag slung over her shoulder and shoes on. 

“Let's go!” she said looking from the Angel to the Blizzard people anxiously. 

“Go? Where?” Dave asked closing the lid of her laptop and getting to his feet. 

“To Stanford. I want to see what you've done with my Wizard!” she answered.

“It couldn't hurt.” the other Blizzard representative said also standing. 

“I agree.” Tyrael said slowly. In the hurry of the moment as the UN soldiers were radioing to the waiting helicopters and and Blizzard people were talking with Elle, Lorath eyed the Angel worriedly. 

“Is everything alright, Tyrael?”

“I felt a tremor...something is amiss. I can not yet place it.” Seeing his aid open his mouth, Tyrael motioned to him and they stepped aside nearer the sliding glass door of Elle's apartment. He continued in a hush. “Elle speaks of the Nephalem personally. Referring to he as 'her Wizard' 'my Nephalem.”

“She's bounded with him, she in a manner created the Ryuu we know as much as the 'programming' from the Blizzard did. And it would seem she has a good amount of affection for him as well. There were three portraits she drew of him on in her chamber as I recall.” 

“It may be a critical piece of this puzzle.” Tyrael nodded, “If this world truly regards our world as merely a game with scores of 'gamers' as we saw at the Blizzard encampment, then for 'her Wizard' to be the true one must be...” 

“One in nearly three million odds...sorry I couldn't help but ease drop.” Dave said. He still carried Elle's laptop under his arm and smiled up at Tyrael from behind his glasses. “A few of us thought of that too when we began searching the gamer profiles. Why this Wizard and why this gamer? There are other gamers just as devoted, others with higher level heroes and so on and on.”

“And your findings?” The angel asked.

Dave shrugged, “We don’t know.”

“Are we ready gentlemen?” the Marine asked. 

“You coming?” Elle asked Heather with a smile. 

Lighting another cigarette, Heather smiled and shook her head. “We’ve had our share of adventures babe, but I think I'll sit this one out. Just do me a favor and don't get killed, ok? The dog kinda likes you.” 

 

Though well under half a hour normally, that days trip to Stanford took almost a full hour. With the high advantage of the helicopters, they could see pockets of complete destruction, small skirmishes between the Creatures and National Guard and sometimes regular people. 

Interestingly enough, the invasion seemed to be a catalyst for some groups of society, most importantly gamers. Now on most news agencies employed “Defensive Advisers”. These advisers were some of the more die hard Torment level gamers of Diablo 3 who were constantly devising ways to combat the Creatures with what would be found on Earth. Flame throwers and modified stun guns were widely popular, the sales of machetes were on the raise and the new interest of crossbows were being covered in self defense classes. 

“It would still be so much easier with magic.” Elle sighed as they circled over a clash between Dark Berserker, Quill fiends, Cultist and normal people and police around a farmers market. 

“True,” Lorath said watching the battle out the window with the gamer, fist clenched, “we have sent envoys to the Academy in Caldem.”

Turning from the window to face him, Elle asked, “And their reply?”

“They will not send aid until Ryuu is handed over to them to be serve his punishment for the state of Valthek along with a written, formal apology and a weekly due to cover the damage done to the Ancient Repositories, among a few other things.”

Tyrael watched Elle closely, she sat back flushed in her full cheeks for a moment then a sneer spread on her full rosy lips. “The mage 'academy' is a lie. They wouldn’t be of any use even if all their precious demands were met. If Ryuu had stayed there among those liars and charlatans, even he would have ended up as wholly useless as the rest of that trash!” 

“I have heard those very same words spoken regarding the Academy, spoken by none other than Ryuu himself.” The Angel of Wisdom said catching her dark eyes.   
“He mentions something of it in game,” she replied lowering her eyes, “maybe not exactly...”

“I find this...connection between you and the Nephalem very intriguing.” Tyrael said softly.

“I think we all do.” Chimed in Dave nodding. 

The gamer said nothing as the flight continued, though her eyes stared out the window, they followed nothing.


	3. Chapter 3

The Co pilot had just announced that they were three minutes from the Stanford heliport when Tyrael's golden eyes flashed. “There is something...I feel a strong presence.”

“So do I.” Elle said slowly, her eyes wide.

As the Angel, Lorath, two of the Marines and the other Blizzard representative crowded into the elevator down to the hospital, Dave held Elle back and handed her her laptop. “Look this all means something, I'm not sure anyone will know fully what exactly but he was meant to be your Wizard and you his Player. Blizzard didn’t mean for any of this to happen, believe me. But without Ryuu, well there’s you.”

Elle laughed slipping her laptop into her bag. “I am a lot of things, but a 'hero' isn’t one of them.” as they entered the elevator she went on, “We just have to find a way of waking him. Once he's awake Ryuu could have a this handled in a day. He really is the best Wiz there ever is.” she smiled. Behind her Lorath chuckled. 

“I think someone is about to start fangirling.” Dave laughed in a snarky voice. 

“It's ok, I packed my inhaler.” Elle retorted nervously. 

As they made their way through the maze of hallways and doors, Dave tired his best to explain fangirling to the visitors from Sanctuary, but as they drew closer to the Neurology wing, all he had to do was use Elle as a example. 

Starry eyed and nearly breathless she had a dazed look to her. “Has she gone mad?” Tyrael asked worried. 

“Not yet! Wait til she see's him.” Dave laughed. “I hope it just stays cute and friendly. I saw fangirling at Com Con last year, they were...scary...”

Indeed, the nearer they came to the neuro wing, the gamer seemed to be lost in a trace; people, doors, other patients passed her yet she seemed to not see them. Her steps quickened too. Elle had never been to or inside Stanford before, but something she couldn't understand was drawing her this way and that, through this set of doors and down this corridor; during in all, her heart was pounding like a bass drum in her chest. 

 

When she arrived at the doors leading into the secure area holding the Nephalem, Elle was stopped by a duo of guards before the hallway and set of door and had to wait for the others before she was allowed clearance. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, and there it was again. She definitely felt something, strong and present but there was something more...

 

“Are you well?” Lorath asked as the group caught up to her.

“There's... a feeling. I can't explain.” she replied opening her eyes. 

With a look at her, Tyrael strode forward down the hall and through the doors without waiting to be waved through. Nearly breathless, the gamer followed with the Horadrim.  
What they found inside was complete chaos. Hospital staff were being attacked and bullied by Imps and Ghouls, knots of Vile Swarm chasing people. 

“Ryuu!”Elle gasped running off toward the bay of room at the other end of the lobby. 

Drawing out El'druin, Tyrael said to Lorath, “Stay with the Earthlings and defend them!” before running off after Elle. 

 

“Do you remember me Ryuu?” With a deathly pale hand, a mage lowered the cowl of his robe stepping nearer the still form of the Wizard. “Oh, I know you can hear me. I know you can hear and see everything that has transpired since I placed the Endless Sleep curse upon you. It must be nearly unbearable for you. Even now I feel your will straining. But allow me to refresh your memory, old friend.” 

With a wave of his hand, the mage brought forth a image into thin air to his watching henchmen thrill, the scene hovered above the Wizards open blank eyes. 

A young boy in a patched and worn night shirt is sneaking quietly through the faint shadows casted by the towering stained glass windows that span a vast hallway. Determined and small, he flutters through the shadows quickly. He knows where he is going, a smug smile on his thin face and a scroll tucked inside his sleeve. He was nearly at the end of the hallway and his goal, the steep tight stairs leading away from the Masters Library and to the safety of the expansive Academy with its dormitories and endless classrooms.  
Soon now, the first of the schools keepers will begin to wake and hurry about cooking the slop that passes as food for the pupils or carefully beginning the delicate morning meals for the school masters. The boy was almost out of the hallway, when out of a darkened gap between windows three other boys stepped. Older and a one rather more larger, they sneer as the smaller, inky haired boy as he came to a stop.

'What have you stolen now, little pauper?' the slightest of the three boys asked. His face was beautiful but even at that age, his large blue eyes were cold and unfeeling. 

'I have never stolen anything!' Ryuu spat back, 'unlike you and your duo of nitwits.'

'Truly?' the blue eyed boy laughed coming closer to Ryuu, 'As I remember, those items were found in your locker and it was you who was flogged before the entire school.'

Turning a dark red, Ryuu glared. 'You may have the Masters and Servants in your fathers purse, William, but the other students know you...'

'It really doesn’t matter,' the blue eyed boy sighed seemingly bored, 'my success in this school, my passing of its trials, even my life after is all set, but you,' stopping his circling of Ryuu, William suddenly shoved the smaller and leaner boy to the granite floor with a loud thud. 'No one cares about you, you're nothing. You shouldn’t even be here. They kill dogs less mangy that you here.'

'You may have your daddies purse,' Ryuu retorted this time spitting blood, 'but you are as talented as you are wanted. I AM gifted by Prophecy, I will be greater than all your pocketed “Masters” and all you will be is another fat sot of a Lord. You're the no with no future...' 

'What would you know of being wanted and having a future, uh? Your own mother sold you to the Masters, she sold you and your “prophecy” for a few farthings. As I understand, your whore of a mother couldn't seem to stop having bastard children.' Kicking Ryuu full in his gut, William continued as his friends joined in, 'You and your “prophecy” is a lie. No one wants you, no one cares about you. All the magic in Sanctuary can't change that.” 

 

“It seems nothing has truly changed.” William said dryly as the scene faded away. “You're alone and still unwanted. You and this fabrication of a 'Prophecy' has gotten you so far but no longer. You're by no means the greatest Wizard anymore, old friend.” A cold smile came to Williams face now. “But you have helped me and my Master bring a new era to Sanctuary, and we thank you for that. You have also fluky brought us a whole alien world to bring to master. I must thank you for that.” Leaning near Ryuu's face, William looked over him then kissed him deeply on the lips. “So there. This is the end of your Prophecy, now you die.” From his belt, William took a wickedly curved and sharp dagger and raised it over Ryuu's heart. 

“I don't think so.”

Before William could react, one of Elle's throwing knives embedded in his shoulder. Gasping in pain, the mage let go of the dagger. It slid down the bedside and to the floor with a soft clink. 

Reaching into her bag, Elle growled, “I've had enough of everyone fucking with my Wizard! It ends now, and you buddy can go fuck yourself!” she hissed stalking towards the stunned mage and bringing out of her bag a 18 inch gleaming machete. 

“Get her!” William shrieked as Tyrael, El'druin glowing with righteousness, ran into the room. 

The tentacle of the Dark Berserker licked at the gamers neck, but without taking her eyes off of William, she sliced it in two. She beheaded the same berserker as it rushed her and was steps from the mage when William, snapping out of his stunned stupor came to life. He backed away until there was no where for him to go but over the bed. 

“You want him, have him!” and with that he grabbed the prone figure of the wizard and hurled him at the girl with a his might. Dropping her blade, Elle ran forward and caught the Wizard as William summoned a magical portal and vanished. 

It took little effort for the Angel to defeat the small band of henchmen in Ryuu's room. In moments he was stepping over a Berserkers head, and knelt beside the girl.  
Holding the Wizard close, Elle smiled. “You're safe now.” 

“Yes, thanks to you.” the Angel smiled helping her and the Wizard to their feet. “I believe that mage will think twice before making another attempt on our friend.” 

He took the still Wizard from her arms and heaved the Nephalem into the hospital bed. Before he could say anymore, the noise of battle outside the Wizards room caught him. “I am sure he is safe in your care, but be mindful,” he handed Elle her machete, “keep this near at all times.”

 

The Wizard had woke with a start to find chatter around him and something particular in his mouth. As he tired to focus on the over lapping, worried voices he reached up to remove whatever it was that was tickling the side of his mouth. At first, he was too set on the voices to realize his arm wasn't moving. Then as the tickling grew stronger, he let the voices slip form his mind and once again moved his arm but nothing happened...again he tried and again his arm remained still, the object continued to bother at his mouth... concentrating, his brain told his arm to move...when it failed, his brain told his right arm to reach over and investigate his left arm...he then told his head to dip so he could see why neither were responding...

Confusion and irritation set in as the Wizard willed himself to move or speak, to wiggle the tip of his nose or raise his hand to cough to wink... to take a deep breath as the realization began to settle in horrid contrast that he no control over his body yet his mind remained very much intact. His voice, deep and clear failed to sound, his muscles were tense and unresponsive to his simplest command. Yet he could feel the sharp bite of the early morning chill on his face, neck and ears along with the soft plushness of the fur he was wrapped in. The morning sun filled his eyes gently and he smelled the dew covered grass. The voices were still there and one came closer, the rich baritone of the Templar. 

A second later, Kormac appeared in his sights. 

The Wizard screamed at him, he yelled his name, he yelled the names of his friends. 'Kormac! Eirena! Shen...Shen! Haedrig!!!' He lashed out with his hands at the Templar’s face, he kicked the covers off, he screamed again, 'I am here! Someone please hear me!' But it was for nothing, his voice could only be heard by his own ears and his body still failed to make the slightest of twitches. 

Concern and lack of sleep creased Kormac's noble face as he knelt close to the Wizard. 

“He breathes, his eyes are open yet he does not move nor does he respond to our calls...”

'I am here! I hear you!' Ryuu shouted.

Tyrael appeared in Ryuu's sight now too. The angel gazed silent and darkly down at him.

'Tyrael! Surely with your eyes from the High Heavens you can see me. You must hear me!'

“Are you sure you didn't hit him with your hammer?” Shen's voice asked worriedly out of his sight.

“I'm sure,” the Blacksmith replied, “I couldn’t get a clear strike.”

Still poised beside the Wizard, Kormac frowned. He reached out and plucked the thing that was tickling the Wizards mouth. When he held it up, Ryuu was puzzled to find it was a half damp, white chicken feather. 

“Cou...could I have caused this?” Eirena sounded on the verge of tears. To that the Templar’s features softened and he rose moving out of the Wizards sight. 

“I am sure it has nothing to do with your magic...” Kormac began.

“And you say you have tried everything?” Tyrael cut in turning to face the Templar.

“Or course.” Out of his sight, Ryuu heard the others agree.

Shen laughed, “I put my best jewel in his hand! A perfectly crafted, cool jewel can wake anyone!” 

After a moment, the angel turned away from them and without a word of warning, slapped the Wizard full, blunt, and hard in the face.

Ryuu felt like he had been stuck by a mountain, his face stung and he was sure his mouth was split and bleeding. Without the ability to react, he found himself half on and half off of whatever he had laid on. 

There was a collective gasp from his friends. “What in the nine hells!” Kormac snapped hurrying to him. All the Wizard could do was watch the Templar's legs bend at his side and his big burly hands reach towards and straighten him. Myriam appeared once Ryuu laid prone again and set to healing his lip and checking the fine bones of his face.

“I had to see for myself. I have encountered this before, many hundreds of years ago. Once to another wizard and once to a Horadrim cleric.”

“And the cure?” Kormac asked looking up at the angel.

“Both died, slowly. They wasted away and neither the cure nor the cause was ever found.”

Myriam's hands began to shake as she dabbed at the Wizards mouth with a moist cloth, Kormac looked to be at a complete loss. His friends begged the angel for more information, to plead to his fellow heavenly beings to help the Wizard. Tyrael replied that the Angiris Council would not intervene in the fate of man, even for the Nephalem and repeated what he knew, which wasn't much then they began to debate and argue. 

As for Ryuu, he listened to Tyrael's memory of his previous encounters with this Endless Sleep once more and sighed, be it inwardly. The symptoms and the name by which Tyrael called it seemed to rekindle a old memory. As it seemed, after more unsuccessful attempts to move and speak, that all the Wizard could do was ponder this. At least for the moment, he told himself with set determination.

 

Whoever had done this would pay! Being that he had nothing to time and the ability to think and plot, that is what Ryuu did now. For almost a week, the once unstoppable, unshakeable Wizard with his bravery, wit and awe inspiring power was now a helpless still barely living form. As if the insult of being held in constant stillness when ones mind and will were anything but still wasn't enough, he had come to learn the depths of caring and devotion of his friends.

Being Nephalem allowed many advantages, the rare need for food and rest had always been one of his strengths but even he at times was required to relieve himself. When he first felt the prang from his bladder telling him that time had come, he again focused all his might and will into moving. He tried in vain, then he refocused himself to not allowing himself the urinate. He had as much success with that as he had moving his hands. Then at last, it happened. His bladder refused to hold any longer and he felt the warm, humiliating wetness spread across his lap. 

They had come to West March, the grand city that was now rebuilding, all other priorities swept aside as they had rushed the Nephalem to the best healers. They were given use of a small house which the Wizard heard was near the ruins of the Zakarum Cathedral where he had once lead the charge against Death. Ryuu had been given the best room with a best amount of sunlight during the day and the coolest breeze at night, his friends watched over him shifts or had appointed themselves to certain duties. At that hour, Shen was due to bring the Wizard his daily bowl of broth which the jeweler would carefully and tenderly feed him, wiping the dribble from his mouth causally as he told another story about the ancient gods or his youth. Kindhearted and always a jester, Shen was possibly the last of his friends he wished to discover him soiled.  
When the noise of footfalls could be heard outside his open chamber door, Ryuu sighed. To his profound relief (pun unintended), Ryuu heard the tell tale jingle and tinkle of the numerous bangles Myriam wore and the bobbles sewn onto her scarves and shawls. She sang a Vecin ode as she set a bowl on his bed side and gathered the stool and small folding side table to his bedside. It was then that she noticed the wet stain on his front. 

Without a pause in her song, she whirled away and he heard the door close, there was some more movement about the room then he felt her pulling the covers off of him, then she began to pull his nightshirt up over his body. She used some scent on the cloth from the wash basin to clean him. To Ryuu's blush, he realized it was rose water. Once he was clean, she carefully pulled the cover from under him and, in a bit of skill that the Wizard appreciated greatly, replaced it with a new one as she did his nightshirt and blanket. At the end of her ode, the Mystic wiped her freshly washed hands on his old nightshirt and tossed it to the floor.

“Now, Ceio,” she said bringing the spoon to his lips “I will take care of that nonsense from now on, don't worry. If we left it to the Templar he'd faint or worse, Shen!” she laughed heartily and alive, “He might run off with your priceless Nephalem jewels!”

Inside, even Ryuu laughed. But there was more than just laughter that welled up inside of him. Frustrated and drained in a way he couldn’t explain, tears began to spill from his greenish brown eyes.

Prophecy had said he would come be to the greatest hero of Sanctuary, it had predicted his birth, predicted his willful nature, and even the Great War he would champion. All his life he had followed that unwaveringly and it had been everything to him. Knowing he was destined for greatness, he had sought out the fallen star and claimed his prophecy. Yet, prophecy had not warned him of the hurt, of the loss, of the cost. His mother had died less than a year after he left her, he had always been marked out as different even among his peers in Caldem, he had learned to rely solely on himself and had painfully been reminded of that as he watched his friends Cain and Leia and scores of other noble and nameless people die in the war. He had witnessed horrors unimaginable and lived to right them. But what of the wrongs done to him? He was the hero, the Savior but he was no ones son or brother, and he knew in crystal clarity, that he would out live them all and finally when his days were at a end, when this game was all played out and a new hero was called forth, what would there for him to show for it all?

“Allow your anguish and hurt to drain, Ceio,” the Mystic whispered wiping the stream of tears. “its your right as a living being that feels and hurts to have this need to cleanse out the dark stale ache. Let the rain fall to water the plains of your strength and set your foundation more tenaciously than before. Just as Haedrig dips the heated metal into the cool spring water, so will this set your will.” Humming, she began to feed him again. 

 

Throughout his life, Ryuu had looked up to the glittering heavens and, unlike most; found himself feeling not alone. At those moments, he had believed it came from the realization that with as vast and glorious the heavens were and with tales of gods, angel and demons creating worlds for their amusement and asylum, his own world could undoubtedly not be the only with life. When he over heard Kormac and Lyndon speaking of the World Rift he wanted so desperately to join the fight. 

How he had cursed his invalid state when Tyrael announced he and Lorath would be accompanying the Wizard to a new and exotic world named Earth. Even unable to move or interact, Ryuu absorbed as much of this Earth as he could. 

Apparently, they relied heavy on 'smart phones', 'computers' and could communicate over long distances and sometimes without speaking. Though they lacked magic, they had photos which moved and made sound, they had also captured people within these 'smart phone' devices and these tiny people preformed for them on demand. Their form of healing was cold and often painful, they took his fluids, they feed him not tenderly with a spoon but through a tube in his chest and there seemed to be a ever changing group of caretakers. 

As sterile and unfeeling as their healing may have been, Ryuu knew he was now stable and would remain so which gave him time to question many other issues. Most importantly was finding a way to break out of this trance like state. He knew he needed more information, why and how being the most critical. As he lay in his hospital bed mulling over the various different scenarios, it happened that the why and how came to him. 

He remembered William before he showed his face. He was the source of endless misery during the years of formal schooling. The example he had played out for the Nephalem was but one and minor in their acquaintance. 

“Your death will be slow and quite painful, I swear it!” Ryuu said inwardly as William held the dagger over his heart. “By whatever means I will make you pay!” 

“...now die.”

“I don't think so.” Another unfamiliar voice, but this one stirred something in the Wizard. Just as the as flash of green light accompanied by the sudden gasp for air had caused the hair on his neck and arms to prickle, so now did this voice. He followed the brief battle breathlessly, listening and catching glimpses of his heroine. Smaller and unequipped as she was to face the slightest of magics, the storm raging in her murky intense eyes would make even Ryuu hesitate if facing her. 

“I've had enough of everyone fucking with my Wizard! It ends now, and you buddy can go fuck yourself!” 

'Your wizard?' the Nephalem said as stunned as William was at the appearance of this raging Earthling. She prowled towards the mage heedless foes around her yet cutting them down with nonchalant bravery. 'Well now, if this is my Player then hope is not los...' before he could finish, the Wizard found himself being hurled at the Earthling. 

She righted the Wizard and held him close in her arms while Ryuu could hear El'druin cutting down the remainder of the rubble. 

“You're safe now.”


	4. Chapter 4

Now that she found herself alone with the Nephalem, Elle didn’t quite know what to do. Around them, the bodies, parts and limbs of the Creatures were slowly fading away and the sound of the fight outside the room began to shift. With a deep breath, the gamer nearer the hospital bed and felt that curious sensation again. 

“Hi.” she said with a smile.

“Hello.” Ryuu smiled back. Just as they had the night their worlds collided, the hairs of his neck and arms were standing on end.

“I feel like a complete dork,” she laughed. The sound made the Wizard blush for some reason. “Ever since this mess began I’ve want so much to meet you. I've always felt like I know you but I know I really don’t. I’ve written tales about you and drawn portraits of you and now...I don't know what to do really. But I guess most players could say they 'know' their heroes.” Carefully, she took the blankets from under his legs and covered him with them. Her touch was warm and Ryuu found it most pleasing. “But there’s no doubt, your 'my' Wizard, you look exactly like my drawings. So handsome with keen hazel eyes.” The Wizard was sure he was blushing now, and in a way he had never before. This Earthling seemed apt at causing it.

'Since I know you can not hear me, I can say I find you very lovely and sweet.' he replied. 

When she giggled, he feared that his voice had finally worked at the least opportune moment and his mouth went dry, but the gamer merely brought her smart device out of one of her trouser pockets and brought the device into his view, “You see, you're even my wallpaper.” Indeed there was the Wizard in full battle glowing and clear on her device, and again, the wizard felt his cheeks burning. “I know your there, something...something just tells me you are. It must be horrible for you, with that amazing mind of yours, and that unbreakable will still behind those eyes. I can feel you and I cant explain why or how, I just have since this started.”

'As have I from the moment you entered the room. Your presence is a magnet to my being.'While the wizard had spoken, the gamer had taken a hand sized object out of her bag and unfolded it into a brush, “Is it selfish of me to not want you to go away, Ryuu?” she continued, tenderly combing the tangles and snags from his long, loose black hair.  
'If it is then I do not care, Milady for I feel the same.'

Elle had just finished applying a fruity balm that soothed the Wizards dry lips when a team of nurses entered and began attending to him, restringing the IV lines and feeding tube. When Tyrael entered a few moments after, she approached him on the other side of the hospital curtain. 

“Mortal beings must sleep.” Lorath was telling the wasted looking angel. His golden eyes only amplified the bags under his eyes. 

Shaking his bald head, the Angel retorted, “There is not time enough!” then he turned his golden eyes on the gamer. “There is not time.”

“We can’t all be Nephalem.” Elle joked back nervously.

“Perhaps not all,” Tyrael nodded, “But you, Isabelle, can be.”

Most of the nurses left and one of the two remaining pulled open the curtain. Looking over the Wizard, the gamer turned back, “Look Tyrael, I know your the Angel of Wisdom and all, but frankly, you must be nuts to think I could be a hero. I have no magic, I am not deadly with anything but sass and if you haven' t noticed I'm not Amazon warrior or anything. In game, yeah I can click some serious ass...Anyways, now we know who did this to the Nephalem. You can hunt down this pasty mage and cure Ryuu.”

“No, I can not!” Tyrael snapped. “I am a mortal man now, as my body and Lorath continue to remind me. There are three battle fronts to this: here, on Sanctuary and now this new one to track and capture the mage responsible for all of this. Had I still retained my heavenly form, I would easily deal with all three but now I can not. Upon that, I'm a warrior not a finder of secrets and master of quests, a champion daring and determined. That is the Nephalems part. Without him, it falls to you to carry on.”

Silently, the other Blizzard representative, Tom, had entered the room and silently with shadowed eyes and blood splatter down his side, he had listened to the Angel. Now he looked at the gamer and spoke, “He's gone. Dave's dead.” when she bowed her head, he shook his head, “When darkness falls, heroes rise. You need to do this, you need to show them that Earth can't be bullied and wont cower. You have all of Blizzard behind you, every programer, every IT, QA...everyone, every single player and hero.” 

Before the gamer could even draw a breath, Tyrael added: “In the absence of the true Nephalem, who better to stand as our Champion than a Nephalem of a different sort, one born of Earth yet honed and skilled on Sanctuary? All this Isabelle, has not been by chance nor luck. This is the Nephalem,” he said gesturing to Ryuu's still form, “The true Hero, Ryuu- your Wizard, your Nephalem. Just as Prophecy has guided him from birth so has Prophecy you to find him and join with him as his Player.”

'He makes a interesting and impressive point.' the Wizard said watching the gamer as did they all, even the nurses. 

“But I cant be a hero, I'm just me, I get lost, I’m imperfect I...I'm selfish and intense and I make mistakes. I can't even be my own hero let alone the hero of two entire worlds.” she said near tears. 

Tyrael looked about to give her a almighty sermon when Lorath stepped forward. “Lets us catch our breath Tyrael. We are all tired and the day has not been a good one to any of us.”

The angel began to deflate as he nodded his bald head, “Very well. Regardless, Death will come for many tomorrow as surely as it did today.”

 

Within moments, Elle found herself alone with the Nephalem again. 

She neared his bed and took a deep sighing breath as she sat in his bedside chair. 

'I so sorry this has fallen solely on you, Isabelle.' the Wizard said softly wishing he could touch her troubled face or do a simple magic to turn the sadness in her eyes. 

“I am a misfit, a goof, I'm not even purely good! I’m not a hero.” she said after a long silence. Feeling drained and alone, Elle rested her head on the mattress beside the Wizards arm, absently caressing his forearm as her eyes grew to heavy to stay open and sleep took her. 

Despite logic, Ryuu tried again to move his hand. Only a puny half a inch separated his hand and the hand of the gamer. Again, his hand, his arm refused to obey the signal sent from his brain and he cursed himself rudely. He sighed and peered up at the white ceiling. Never before had he wanted to touch another hand, never had he been so keenly aware of anothers presence or wanted them to stay in his, never had a laugh or smile stirred his soul with the same power his magic did. Now, with all the might of his will and magic, he wished he could move his hand just a petty distance and touch hers. 

Maybe it was indeed the might of his will and magic, or maybe the gods and angels of both worlds smiled down upon him, but whatever be the reason, a thrill took the Nephalem as Elle's hand intertwined with his. Never had he felt such a thing, literally.

To Elle, it felt like a shot of naked energy that had licked out of its circuit and through her fingertips and up her arm. She snapped awake, sitting back in the chair looking at her withdrawn hand then at the Nephalem. Licking her lips, she closed her eyes and reached out and took his hand again. The same strong stunning reaction to her action. But this time, she concentrated on the being at the other end of it and let the energy flood into her where it filled her then waned, the strong electric surge becoming as natural to her as breathing. When she opened her eyes, the room seemed the same but felt slightly different, and there at her side, she felt a presence so strong, she turned to it. Transparent, the Wizard smiled at her.

“Hello again, Isabelle.” he spoke smiling down at her. 

 

 

 

Wide eyed and breathless, Elle rose from the chair and stood before the Wizard. He towered over her by at least a foot and even in his transparent state, his hazel eyes sparkled as he smiled. All pretenses forgotten, she grinned unabashed. 

“Hi.” she giggled to which he chuckled making her giggle even more. 

Stepping forward, Ryuu reached out to touch her face but his fingertips passed through her. “I will have to content myself with the knowledge that you can hear and see me at least.” he sighed dropping his arm to his side. 

“For the time being.” the gamer replied still smiling at him. “You are perfect,” she swooned. “So handsome, brave and smart. It must be amazing to watch you cast in real life and not just on my screen.” 

Chuckling, Ryuu shrugged shyly, “When this is done, I will summon all my magic for you to enjoy.” After a moment of thought he added, “And there is a Earth magic you may share with me, one I have experienced on occasion.”

“Really? What ever it is, I'll get it for you Ry...um...”

“I find my name spoken by you to be very pleasing to my ears so I ask that you continue to use it.”

Blushing so hard she felt her ears were on fire, Elle lowered her head and giggled, “What on my world could draw your attention, Ryuu? Whatever it is you will have it.” 

“Besides your lovely self, Milady?” he smiled as she peered up at him from behind her full dark eyelashes, “I believe I have heard my caretakers refer to it as music.”

Forgetting her shyness the gamer perked and withdrew her smart device again. “That I can do! I have tons of music on here and more on my laptop.”

“Yes, the performers trapped there in are very entertaining and vary a wondrous degree. Some seem to speak other variants of your language. It is set then, when we vanish these foes from both our worlds and bring William to the end he deserves, we will have a evening of magic and this music.”

“That sounds awfully lot like a date.” Elle squeaked. 

The Wizard regarded the bashful gamer as she absently tugged at the ends of the short, dark pigtails behind her ears, and laughed. “You are most eccentric, even for your own world I would presume. It is quite charming. But now, I must speak more seriously.”

Her lips pressing into a small straight line, Elle sat and watched the Wizard as he thought. 

“Tyrael was correct in assuming that you must champion this new front in the war. I am, however, embarrassed by his harshness. I apologize for him, his tact has always been...wanting. But never the less, Isabelle, I agree with him. It must be you.”

“But Ryuu, I...I am just not a...I’m just me. I'm more likely to get lost or captured or killed within a hour then champion a battle. I have nothing, no magic, no skill with a cross bow...”

“There is more to you than you realize. You don't need to be great and overly equipped to start off. Was I not armed only with a basic wand when I began following the Fallen Star? You rushed into a room full of Undead and Berserkers and faced a mage to save me. You are far more formidable than you allow yourself to believe. I'm very pleased and lucky that I am your Wizard and not your foe.”

The gamer laughed with a snort, “That was...under extreme distress and special circumstances.”

“Those circumstances still remain, Isabelle, I am in distress still. These Creatures grow stronger, countless are dying on both our worlds. And there I lay helpless and useless.” Kneeling before the gamer, Ryuu added tenderly, “I need you, Elle.” He tried to take her hand only for it to pass through.

“Do that again.” she said quietly. 

The Wizard watched her as he reached out his hand to hers. She closed her eyes and he could feel her bending, manipulating and willing matter and space then his hand met hers, their fingers laced together and he smiled.

He could have gathered her in his arms and whirled her around the room, he could have himself giggle and snorted with sheer happiness, he could have and longed to kiss her right then there, on those full, rosy lips of hers which looked more appetizing than anything in either world.   
“Oh, darling. You have power you don’t understand and deny.”

Opening her eyes, Elle slumped against the back of the chair nearly breathless and his hand passed through hers once more. 

“I don’t know how I just did that, I just knew I could, just like I knew you were close...”

“All will become clear in time. You must sleep now.” Elle could barely keep her eyes open but she smiled weakly up at the Wizard. 

“I heard what you said, if I wasn't so tired I'd squeak.”

She yawned resting her head beside the arm of the still figure of the Wizard and closed her eyes.

“I reckon there’s room for you beside me.” the Wizard said softly.

“Alright, but no monkey business, mister.” she laughed removing the bag she had slung across her chest and her shoes. 

“I will be a perfect gentleman, I promise.” Ryuu retorted with a smirk. 

“And don't think Earth women are all this easy.” Elle added carefully climbing onto the bed beside him and curling up beside him in the nook between his chest and arm with her head resting on his thin chest. Snuggling close, she smiled, her eyes closed. “I hear your heart.” 

Closing his transparent eyes, the Nephalem allowed himself to merge back into his body. He could feel the gamer against him, feel the warmth and softness of her curvacious body, smell the faint lavender scent of her. It was a form of closeness he had never experienced nor sought to before. No woman had ever attracted him enough to compete with his beloved magic, until now. 

 

“You need not look at me so anxiously, Lorath. I fully remember our conversation last night. The new day has brought clarity and I agree. I must change my approach.”

Relieved the Horadrim nodded. “Sleep is good, Tyrael.”

“Yes, I see that.” the Angel said stopping in his steps.

Seeing them, Elle hurried over, a bright smile on her that she flashed them both with a good morning.

“Good morning, Isabelle.” both replied hopefully.

“Let's find the cafeteria, I have good and great news, but I need coffee!” she laughed.

“Any news that brings the gleam back to your eyes is indeed cause for this most savory drink.” Tyrael replied as they moved on. 

 

“It's called a elevator, it moves people up and down between floors quickly.”

“Yes, we rode one similar yesterday.” Lorath said quietly exchanging glances with the Angel.

“Uh? Oh, yeah I know you two have.” she laughed. “No, I don't mind, people have always considered me crazy. It's nothing to me now.” she added. “Remember, you yourself said it 'eccentric even for my own world'. It's kinda my thing.”

 

As she sat at a booth with a egg sandwich and coffee, Tyrael asked “What is a matter with you? Did you go insane upon viewing the Nephalem as Dave expected?” before setting upon his massively piled plate with zest. 

“That's still up for debate,” Elle replied sipping her coffee, “But that's not important at the moment. I spoke with Ryuu last night, and somethings happened. I'm still not sure how they happened. I still think I'm not much of a hero, I'm just one small Earthling but I will go to Sanctuary and track down William, I will fight with everything in me and we will bring this war to a end on all three fronts. And I swear, I will find a cure for Ryuu even if that cure costs is my dying breath.”

“It will not.” Ryuu said looking up from watching a child playing on a tablet. “That price I will not pay.” 

“It's not your price to decide.” Elle said quietly looking at the Wizard from over her coffee cup. 

“This is glorious news indeed!” the Angel said between bites of omelet and hash browns, “but I believe you truly have gone mad.”

 

Telling them what had happened that night, minus the flirting and swooning, Elle convinced Tyrael by relaying details and memories the Wizard told her. 

“But how could this be? How is it that you see and hear him without...”

The Wizard laughed, “He's beginning to understand! Say I believed you bent the fabric of the Ethereal plane to this Physical plane of Earth.”

When she repeated his words, the Angel seemed stunned and altogether stopped eating. 

“Exactly what did I just say or do for that matter?” the gamer asked. Ryuu merely beamed at her and Lorath shrugged. 

“You must go to Sanctuary at once. I will speak to the Commander and info Kormac of your arrival.”

“I just worry about one thing.” Elle cut in, “Ryuu. Shouldn't security around him be tighter now? I fear leaving him alone.”

“I believe once you enter our world, the attention of William and this followers will fall on you, but yes, measures are already being set in place to protect him. He will be moved shortly and set his own guard.”

 

With Tyrael to handle the politics, Elle returned to Ryuu's room to see him before leaving and was met by the smiling nurse who had woke her earlier that morning. 

“Aw, back again!” she laughed making the gamer blush. “You are very devoted to your boyfriend, no? Yes, yes, you turn red as a apple! I will leave this to you then, I think he would appreciate his misses bathing him, hhhmmm?”

“Boyfriend...” Elle said stunned. “If you knew what it meant, you wouldn’t be laughing, Wizard!” 

“From the look of utter horror on your face, I believe it must be a deadly affliction or disease.”

“More like a arrow to the heart that only fools enjoy getting shot with.” she retorted opening the packets of wipe clothes and putting gloves on. “If you were my boyfriend and more bodily responsive we'd both enjoy this more.” 

When he asked her to explain, the gamer merely reminded him she had warned him she wasn't purely good and winked at him.   
Without a word, the Wizard merged with his body.

“Typical. And without even a first date, you're some 'boyfriend' Wizard.”

 

Elle undid the snaps across the shoulders that held the gown together and peeled it back to reveal the lanky wizards chest. She took one of the wipe cloths and began to caress it over his his neck, behind his ear then back over his chest, carefully moving around the feeding tube then took a fresh cloth and cleaned his long gangly arms, his strong hands and long, thin fingers. 

“Enjoying yourself?” she asked knowing she herself was. 

 

The Nephalem croaked, “Very.”

Giggling, the gamer dropped the cloth she was using to the floor like the other and took up a new one then eying the tubes connected to wizard, rolled him to one side and quickly cleaned his back. 

“What is this date? You've referred to it twice and I over heard one of my caretakers explaining on the smart device that her's had ended with 'her ankles behind her ears'. Is it a form of combat or art?” 

Laughing Elle replied as she repeated the process with the other side and dropped the the cloth. “Some would consider having their ankles behind their ears a art. They are related but not the same, a date is a early stage in courtship. Two people who like each other make plans and time to hang out, to spend time together, usually just the two of them. What they do depends on shared interests and resources. Having your ankles behind your ears comes later, 2 to 5 dates later depending on personal taste or in my case, the attraction I have to the victim.” 

“Ooohhhh I see,” Ryuu replied, “Yes, the evening together enjoying music and my magic does indeed sound like a date, as you said last night.” As he had spoken, the gamer had uncovered his legs and taken up another cloth. “I'm beginning to believe you may be enjoying this just as much, Elle.” Ryuu said as she place the heel of one of his feet between her bosom and slowly rhythmically stroked his ankle and calf. Her touch was incredible. She followed the lines and curves of his muscles applying slight pressure in places skiming the cloth over others all the while staring into his eyes with a salutary smile. “I swear you are a Earth bound Succubus!” Ryuu grunted when she reached his thigh. 

With a chortle, Elle withdrew her hand from under his gown. “I'm ok with being considered a succubus.” She dropped the cloth and peeled off her gloves.

“Isabelle, I enjoy your presence and wish to know more of you. I like you, feel as if I know you yet realize I do not truly. I would enjoy this date with you, a evening just we two enjoying my magic and your music. I would very much like to finally hold your hand in mine as well. Would you... Isabelle?”

Straightening from stooping to retrieve the cloths and gloves from the floor and throwing them in the trash bin, the gamer smiled. “It seems William left something in his hurry!” she held up the wickedly curved dagger. “Can we use it has a hint or lead to go off of like Lyndon's dagger?”

Emerging out of his body, Ryuu examined the dagger she held out to him in her hands. “Possibly, there are ancient magical runes upon its blade and hilt and it is made in a unfamiliar fashion. It is worth presenting to Tyrael. But take care with it, I would not put it beyond that coward to poison it.”

“Agreed.” Elle said wrapping it in a dry wash cloth and putting it in her bag. 

She covered the Nephalem and she set off to find Tyrael, the transparent Wizard beside her.

They were on a elevator when she suddenly gasped and turned to Ryuu.

“Yes!” she giggled blushing.

“Yes?” repeated the Wizard puzzled then he beamed, “Yes!”

“Yes, I would love to, Ryuu.”

As the doors slid open and she walked out, the gamer sighed. Following her the Wizard continued to beam. 

The orderlie and the elderly man in a wheelchair he was transporting looked at each other and shrugged as the doors slid closed.


End file.
